Love Complex
by CodyDarkstalker
Summary: Superboy turns to the Dark Knight when his own mentor wants nothing to do with him while Superman uses Robin as an outlet for his sexual frustration. Is it love, lust, or just too complex?
1. The Beginning

The mission had been long, but fairly uneventful. A seven-hour stakeout of a drug trafficking circle resulted in the capture of a shipment of hallucinogens similar to Scarecrow's fear gas. Robin had a paper due at school the next day, Kaldur was joining Aquaman for a separate assignment, and the girls had taken Kid Flash to the movies with them. So it was left to Superboy to deliver the video footage and packet of notes they had put together. He didn't mind, the sudden influx of free time in his life was something he still hadn't gotten used to.

He had been hoping that Superman would be the one to come and pick up the intel, giving him another chance to talk. yet he felt his hopes crumble when he found himself standing in front of a man in black instead of red and blue. It had been over a week since he had so much as seen Superman, who had been avoiding the base as much as possible.

"He's not coming," said Superboy, disappointed. There was no need to specify the "he" in question, and the name caught in his throat every time. It had been like this for weeks, the hope, and then the disappointment.

"No, he's not." Bruce fought to keep his own features carefully neutral as Superboy's face fell, his shoulders drooping and his lower lip jutting out in a childish pout. It was almost... Cute.

There was something about the boy that intrigued him. He was so easy to read, raw in a way none of the other heroes were. He never hid his emotions, every thought was written clearly on his face. He didn't even have a secret identity. What you saw was what you got and for a man who guarded his own identity from even other heroes, it was somehow amazing.

"You should stop dwelling on him. You might be his clone, but you're not him. There's no reason for your whole life to focus on him." The boy's obsession with the Man of Steel was something that never ceased to bother him for some reason. Seeing yet another person worship Superman blindly—or maybe it was Superboy's hopeless devotion to someone who didn't care about him at all.

Superboy simply nodded and held out the manila envelope in his hand. "Here. Robin organized all the info we got off the drug circle. He's off doing some homework."

Batman nodded and took the packet. "Good. I don't know how many times I had to tell him to spend more time focusing on his school work. he needs a good education, fighting crime comes second to that." He paused, a small frown crossing his face. "I should probably evaluate you as well. We still don't know how well Cadmus taught you. We interrupted the G-gnomes before they could finish educating you. Tutoring might be needed."

Superboy shrugged. He knew he wasn't as smart as Wally but he wasn't stupid, just less informed. But he wasn't about to say no to the Batman. So far he had been the only member of the league to really take an interest in him, and try and help him get along without a real mentor. The older hero was also his best bet of somehow making contact with Superman. 

"Be ready by seven tomorrow morning. I'll come by and do some preliminary evaluations, see what we need to work on. I don't want you falling behind. Maybe I could get Kid Flash to tutor you…"

Superboy looked up at the Dark Knight. He didn't want to be passed off onto Kid Flash. He knew Wally was smart, but this was his chance to get closer to Batman, and he wasn't about to let it go, even if it was a second choice to his real hero. "Couldn't you just teach me? Wally is smart, but he can be a little... Scattered. He might move to quick for me."

Bruce nodded, secretly pleased even though he wasn't sure why. "Fine. I ll be the one who works with you."


	2. Training

Robin was sulking, not that he would ever admit to doing something as childish as that. He had gone home to Wayne Manor after the last mission, intent on finishing his school work as fast as possible and then heading back to base. Unfortunately the neglected pile of work took him all night and by the time he had gotten back to headquarters he was disappointed to find it empty. The other teens were off enjoying a rare moment of free time.

He was sprawled out on the couch, channel surfing on the big screen TV when he heard someone approach behind him. He immediately flipped around, springing into a crouch, one hand already reaching for his utility belt.

"Hey! Calm down now, it's only me." It was Superman, standing with his hands up as though anything Robin could have done could actually hurt him. "You gotta watch it with those toys Bruce gave you. They can pack quite a punch." He smiled down at the young boy, trying to hold back a chuckle. The boy was glaring up at him, still crouching.

"Pfft. As if any of this stuff could hurt you. I have a hard enough time sparring with Conner." Robin flopped back on the couch, head tilted back, watching the Man of Steel out of the corner of his eye. He had never been alone with Superman before. In fact, he had hardly ever been this close to the Last Son of Krypton before. Like every member of the League, he was almost impossibly fit, and very tall. He seemed a good bit larger then Bruce was, and broader as well. He idly wondered if Superboy would one day be that tall.

"Conner?" Superman tilted his head slightly, trying to think of a hero with that name.

"Superboy. We call him Conner. Cadmus never gave him a real name and, well, it seemed fitting." Robin turned his head and looked Superman in the eye. "Not that you would know much about him. You hardly ever come around here to help us train." Everyone knew that Superman had been avoiding his clone, and Robin had seen first-hand how upset it made the younger hero.

Superman fought to hide how upset Robin's words made him. He couldn't deny that he had been avoiding Superboy, but he couldn't bring himself to approach the boy. Everything about him seemed to set his teeth on edge, it was unnatural. "Well then. How about I spar with you now? Working with me might help you learn how fight with …Conner…a bit better."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Really? You'd work with me?" Superman was notorious for almost never practicing, and certainly had never done so with any of the younger heroes before. He never had a sidekick or protégé, and getting to train with him was one of few chances to practice with someone who had almost limitless strength and endurance. "Okay then. Let's start-NOW!" He shouted and rolled off the couch in a smooth motion, pulling out a smoke bomb and tossing it at the alien.

Superman laughed and grabbed through the cloud of black, easily catching a hold of Robin's ankle. "Smoke bombs don't work on me. X-ray vision. Hiding doesn't help." He pulled the boy back by his foot with a quick jerk.

Robin swung himself around and used his free foot to kick at Superman's arm. Using the leverage he pushed himself as far away as he could and snapped his heel back, aiming for Superman's fingers, loosening his grip just enough to pull his foot free. He dove forward into another roll, landing in a low crouch ten or so feet away, throwing knives in hand. He tossed two and then moved in quick, keeping a knife gripped in his hand as he went for the larger man's chest, flinging his whole body into the blow.

The taller hero stepped back and sideways, quickly grabbing the boys wrist and twisting it so that he dropped the blade. The knives Robin had thrown had both missed their mark as he slid to the side. "Fast but not fast enough." He spun Robin by his wrist and slammed him chest first into a nearby wall, the plaster cracking slightly at the impact. It was simple enough to hold the boy there, pressing down on him as he scrambled to find a way out of his grasp.

"Damn it!" Robin kicked his legs back viciously, hitting Superman's shins again and again with his heels. He jerked his shoulders back and forth, trying to dislodge him. "You're too heavy…"

Superman chuckled, leaning a little harder. As he pushed up against the boy he could hear his breath coming shorter and shallower, gasping as his lungs had less and less room to expand. Yet no matter how hard he pressed Robin didn't yield or ask him to stop. Batman's ward simply gritted his teeth and struggled harder, jerking his whole body back and forth. It was sort of pleasant, Clark thought to himself, being able to be this rough on someone. Despite his delicate, almost feminine appearance, Robin was holding up well against his strength. Almost without thought he found himself pressing himself against the boy harder, digging his fingers into his ribs and back of his neck, bruising the pale skin. The small whimpers that escaped the boys throat were cute and he grinned a bit and pushed his fingers harder, drawing another low groan of pain out of him.

"You need me to go a little easier on you, kid?" Superman whispered in Robins ear, sliding his leg in between Robin's thighs and pulling up on his cape, forcing him off the ground. He was enjoying Robin's little gasps of pain, but there was still a nagging voice in the back of his mind warning him not to push the boy too hard.

But Robin simply shook his head, panting as he struggled to get enough air into his lungs to gasp out a quiet "no."

And with that Superman felt his last bit of resolve crumble. He grabbed Robin by his hair and pulled him back roughly, hovering a few inches off the ground, before slamming him into the ground, his heart racing as he heard the air rush out of the boys lungs. The Boy Wonder struggled under him, flipping onto his hands and knees and trying to drag himself out from under the crushing force of the larger man. Superman took full advantage of the position, grabbing him by the arms and wrapping a hand around his neck, applying a steady force against his windpipe.

"You made a mistake in rushing me. You're fast, but I'm a lot stranger then you are. Close quarters aren't going to work to your advantage." He smiled and shifted back onto his haunches, forcing Robin onto his knees, his back pressed up against the mans chest.

Superman reveled in the feeling of the small boy, the smell of sweat and smoke still clinging to his skin. The thin material of his costume allowed him to fully appreciate the way his muscles spasmed under his skin as he tried to wrench himself free of the alien's iron grip.

"What is going on here?"

Superman dropped Robin, jumping back faster then the eye could follow. The Red Tornado was standing in the doorway, watching the scene in front of him.

"Oh nothing much, just showing Robin here some new moves is all. You know how boys like to rough house." Superman chuckled and ran a shaky hand through his hair. He mentally cursed himself for being so distracted, he hadn't heard the android approaching, and now he had no idea how long Tornado had been watching them. He shot a quick glance at Robin, who had pulled himself to his feet. His hair was mussed and he was dripping sweat and covered in a fine layer of plaster dust.

Red Tornado turned slightly to address the boy. "I see. And how was the exercise? Did you find it helpful?"

Robin looked up at Superman and smiled. "Yeah, yeah it was great." He grabbed Superman's cape and pulled him closer. "I'm hoping we can do it again some time soon."

Superman nodded, not trusting himself to respond. "OK, well I have to get going, lots to do. Well, I'll see you soon, Boy Wonder." With that he gave a quick dazzling smile to Red Tornado and sped off down the hall.


	3. Heart rate

Conner tried to sit still as Batman hooked him up to yet another machine. It was like being back at Cadmus, with the endless flow of questions and knowledge. They had reviewed math, history, and he had counted to a hundred in over a dozen languages. He had aced every test; all the while the machines he was hooked to maintained its slow steady beeping.

He looked down at his chest. "What are all these wires for?" He had removed his shirt, and Batman had carefully stuck wires to him, his hands had been surprisingly warm, different from the cold clinical touch of the scientists that had created him.

"They're measuring things. Your heart rate, blood pressure. I'm looking to see how much stress your body goes through when recalling information." He neglected to mention that he had also set it up to function as a polygraph test as well. He was reasonably sure the boy wasn't a threat, but at the same time of part of him couldn't let go of his paranoia. It was the same feeling that drove him to keep a small piece of kryptonium, just in case Superman ever stepped over the line. He looked up at the boy, meeting his eyes. They were an intense shade of blue he had never seen in a human. "You're doing...fine." It sounded awkward, forced, even to him. He wasn't sure why he had said anything. The need to reassure the boy was almost overwhelming.

"That's...good." Conner tore his eyes away from the older man, feeling his face heat as blood rushed to his cheeks. At the same moment one of the machines rose in volume, the beeping increasing its pace.

Bruce frowned heart monitor had been the source of the beeping, and just as he moved in to look more closely at the wire, another light when on, accompanied by yet another beep. That was the body temperature monitor, which had no reason for going off at all. He leaned in close to the boy, running his fingers over his chest to see if any of the connectors on the wires had come loose.

"That's odd. All of the readings have changed suddenly..." Bruce ran the back of his hand over Conner's forehead, leaning in close to look into his eyes to see if his pupils were dilated. It seemed the closer he moved in the louder the machines protested.**  
><strong>Conner swallowed dryly. He could feel Batman scrutinizing him, and his hands were unbelievably warm. the closer the older man came to him, the longer his hand rested on his face, the hotter his skin felt, like his blood was boiling. He couldn't understand it. The longer Batman stood over him, the worse he seemed to feel. his mouth was suddenly dry, his mind had ground to a halt. It was like time had slowed down and the universe had shrunk down to just the two of them. He felt a sudden urge to run, to push the raven haired man away and bolt for the safety of his room, and solitude. he couldn't think like this.**  
><strong>Bruce felt the boy flinch underneath his hand, seeming to recoil away from the simple touch. It bothered him more then it should have. He was just trying to see if the boy was running a fever or if the machine were broken, there was no reason for Conner to react like that to a simple touch. Was he so terrifying, so disgusting to be around? It angered him. This kid, acting like he couldn't touch someone unclean, couldn't have him in his personal space. He had that same wholesome aura, that sparkly clean shine to them that he always lacked. And suddenly, he wanted to keep touching him, ruin that purity a little. Superman didn't want him, he was just a cheap copy, not even a real person, so why not?**  
><strong>Conner was so differed from Dick, his own boy wonder. Dick was smart as a whip, a tough fighter, and quick on the uptake when it came to being a superhero. But he was sneaky, capable of lying, something it seemed Conner was incapable of. Superboy was so straightforward and easy to read, and now with that look on his face, the quickening breathing and his red face.

And then it clicked. The heart rate monitors beeping was drowned out by the sound of his own heartbeat. The machine was fine, and the boy didn't have a fever. It was him. The flinching and the squirming, the fact that he couldn't look him in the eye. He jerked his hands back as if he had been stung. Superboy looked up at him through his impossibly long, dark eyelashes, his lips parted ever so slightly. It was too much. He couldn't do it. He took a step back and averted his eyes as he handed Conner his usual black shirt.

"Everything's fine, you can get dressed and go."

Conner fought to keep his face as blank as possible. "Do you think you could keep working with me?" Batman might have been his second choice, but he was as close as he was going to get to a mentor, and being rejected again wasn't something he thought he could deal with.

Bruce looked over at the young man, sitting there clutching his shirt to his muscular with the chest with the saddest look on his face. He couldn't do that to him. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll come by the base tomorrow to work with you."


	4. Ring Ring

Superman stared at himself in the mirror. Fresh out of the shower with his hair a damp, slightly curly mess and no trademark blue suit, he looked much like any other man. He didn't look like a hero, he didn't look like an alien, he just looked like a man. It was nice sometimes to be out of uniform, to just be a person, a person who wasn't just the personification of good, the "Big Blue Boyscout" that everyone looked up to. It was hard sometimes to live up to all that, to be perfect all the time, the hero who wasn't supposed to have a dark side.

But he did have one. Deep down, he had the same thoughts and desires as any person. Normally he pushed those thoughts and feelings down deep inside, keeping them in check so he could do his job and keep the world safe. But yesterday, he had let his desires get the best of him. The feeling of Robin underneath him, the smell of his sweat and the sound of his breath coming shallower and shallower as he squeezed his hand around his windpipe. **  
><strong>He stared down at his hands. not so much as a hangnail form the fight, but he could remember the feel of the boys skin, hot and damp with sweat and desperation. It had been exciting, more exciting than anything he had experienced in a long time. true, he had feelings for Lois Lane, but he knew he couldn't really be with her, couldn't be himself and let loose with her. She was a normal human woman, he had to keep his strength carefully in check around her and sometimes the effort was almost too much for him. **  
><strong>With Robin, it had been totally different. He had been more than willing to fight him, to keep struggling and not give up or give in to the pain. He had enjoyed that a lot, and he hadn't stopped thinking about it since then. He wanted to do it again, he wanted to feel the boy wonder struggling against him, muscles straining, whimpering in pain. But he knew it was wrong. he didn't want to spar, to help teach the boy like a mentor should. No, this desire was much less pure. He didn't know how to handle it.**  
><strong>The sound of the phone ringing snapped him out of his trance. It was the separate line he had that only people associated with the League had.**  
><strong>**"**Hello?"**  
><strong>**"**Uh, hey! Supe! It's me, uh, ya know...Robin." The boy was mumbling, tripping over his words, something he almost never did.**  
><strong>**"**Hey Robin, how are you? Not too sore?" He kept his tone carefully neutral. He hadn't been expecting this, he thought he had more time to think things over before he would see Robin again.**  
><strong>**"**I'm fine, ya know...fine. Uh, I was wondering, do you wanna maybe come over?" Robin paused for barely a second before rushing on, not letting the other man speak. "I mean you don't have to it's just batman's busy and you said you wouldn't mind sparring again, i mean if you're not busy, if you're busy it's no big deal I just thought I would ask and-"**  
><strong>Superman forced himself not to chuckle as he cut the boy off, "It's no problem. i can come by the base in an hour if you want to practice, ok?"**  
><strong>Robin paused briefly before responding. "Well, the rest of the gang's still here so we wouldn't have any real...privacy. You know, t practice. Maybe we could go somewhere else...?"**  
><strong>Superman though over his answer carefully. Robin wanted to see him, and he wanted to be alone with him. He could almost feel his hands closing around the boy's thin neck, could almost hear him groaning in pain. "Sure, I'll pick you up."


	5. Up Close

Conner sat on his bed staring at the wall. He had barely slept the night before, his mind too filled with strange thoughts about Batman. He had never spent any real time alone with the Caped Crusader. He was different from what he expected, not as cold and distant. And yet that was what was causing his sudden problem. Every time the older man got close to him, he started to have these overwhelming feelings, not unlike what he had once had with M'gann, only much much stronger.

It got hard to breathe and his skin felt hot; it was hard to concentrate on anything besides the other man. Batman was the world's greatest detective, there was no way that he could hide his feelings for long. But Conner didn't want to sacrifice his time with the other man. M'gann had loved him because of her sick television fantasy world, but Batman... Batman wanted to be with him, even when Superman refused to acknowledge his existence.

A loud knock at the door jerked him from his thoughts. "Super—Conner. Are you up?"

Superboy jumped up and opened the door, shocked to see Batman standing there out of uniform. he was wearing dark pants and a black t shirt that was almost as tight as his usual spandex and body armor. He was wearing the same kind of dark sunglasses Robin did when he hung around the base in his civilian clothes. It was strange to see how normal he looked out of his foreboding all black garb.

"Uh, hi." Conner felt his face grow warm as a blush crept up his neck and covered his face. he had already been thinking about the other man and then he showed up looking like that.

Batman raised an eyebrow slightly, noting how awkward Superboy had become. "Can I come in?' He smiled slightly when Conner simply nodded mutely, too embarrassed to speak. Secretly, he was pleased to see the boy acting like this. So desperate for his attention. Robin didn't need him anymore. He spent all of his time with his own team, he had given up trying to turn the Batman into a father figure. But Superboy...

"I thought we could work on something new today." He crossed over to the bed and took a seat, beckoning Superboy closer. "I noticed a few odd reaction during the end of our last session and thought maybe we should look into that."

Conner felt his face get even redder, if that was possible. He nodded and stepped over to Batman, who motioned for him to stand in front of him, putting Batman at eye level with his chest and stomach.

"Take off your shirt." The tone of voice left no room for argument.

Connor only paused for a moment before following the older man's instructions. Batman had seen him shirtless during training before, but somehow this seemed different.

Bruce felt his breath catch in his throat as the boy stripped. He had seen him shirtless, but not like this, not so close and so touchable. He reached out a hand and traced a finger down the boys chest to his stomach, stopping just above his belly button. He was warm to the touch, all hard muscle under that soft young skin. There were no scrapes or scars to mar that perfect body, the Kryptonian genes had seen to that.

For a moment his mind flashed back to all the times he had patched up Robin in his own lair, how many scars and stitches the boy had gotten because of him. Superboy was a perfect clean slate. He slid both hands down to Conners waist, dipping his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans.

"How does that feel?" He looked up into those blue, blue eyes.

Superboy swallowed audibly. "Fine." He let out a little gasp as Batman scraped a thumbnail across his ribs. "Uhm what's this for...?"

Bruce continued his delicate ministrations. "Well you seemed to have an odd reaction yesterday when I got too close. I think that it needs some more looking into." He slowly rubbed Superboys exposed skin, watching the boys face get red. "See, you're blushing again, and I can feel your pulse, your heart is racing."

Superboy nodded. 'Yeah I guess a little." He frowned slightly, suddenly even more nervous than before. "Is that normal?"

Bruce nodded. "Most boys have these kinds of reactions at your age, usually with girls. This is a little different."

Superboy felt like his skin was on fire. "So I should only be having these feelings with girls?" He had seen Wally pining after girls before, but he had seemed so laughable with his clumsy flirting.

"No, but having them with an older man is... A bit more unusual. Most of the sidekicks get antsy around me. I scare them. I don't scare you do I?" He stopped moving his hands and looked up, right at the Conners face.

Superboy shook his head quickly. "No! Not at all, you're the only League member that pays any attention. No one else trains with me, not even..." He trailed off, trying not to upset himself. Batman WAS the only one who cared about him, and as much as it hurt him to know Superman would never accept him, Batman was important to him. He needed him.

"Not even Superman." Bruce shook his head and pulled the boy closer into his arms.


	6. The Look

Robin was almost disappointed with how easy it was to slip out of the manor unnoticed. Just a few months ago this never would have been possible, Bruce didn't trust him enough to go out alone and potentially end up in danger. But lately he had been distracted, locked in his study and wandering the halls with bags under his eyes. He had refused to talk about what was bothering him, and after a few attempts the Boy Wonder had just given up, annoyed that the older hero still wouldn't trust him with his personal problems. Whatever it was he didn't care.

**A different raven haired hero had been haunting his mind anyways. Every time he stretched his sore muscles, or counted the small, fading bruises in the mirror before a shower. Superman. It was hard to think of him as Clark Kent. To Robin, Clark was a stranger, silly in a way. Who would believe that a man as powerful and great as Superman could ever be like that in private. It was just an act, Superman, the hero, the near god like being, that was the reality. he always seemed so perfect, costume neat, hair combed.  
>But he had seen the mask crack, just a bit. Seen it slide away as the Kryptonian's eyes had gone glassy. Just thinking about it made his heart race. He shook his head and passed into the Zeta-tube in the lair. Superman would be at the base soon.<br>As he walked in, he noticed something strange about the base. It was clean, something rare enough to be noticed with a handful of teens living mostly alone. Conner was in the kitchen, lifting the table with one hand and mopping with the other.  
>"Spring Cleaning?" Robin flopped on to the couch, one eyebrow raised over the dark rims of his sunglasses.<br>Conner blushed. "Bru-Batman. He, uh, said I should try and get used to normal stuff. I never cleaned at Cadmus. Miss Martian explained it to me. Did I do ok?" The hopeful look on his face was enough to banish Robin's momentary annoyance at the mention of his surrogate parent. It wasn't Conner's fault Bruce was so distracted lately. It was likely a work problem.  
>Before he could answer Superman strode into the room, looking even more like an all American figure in blue jeans and a plain white shirt. He gave Conner a long, sideways glance.<br>Robin watched the two of them closely. It was strange seeing them like this, side by side. Conner looked a lot like Superman, but he wasn't a perfect copy, there were slight changes. His face seemed softer, his jaw less rigidly set. But the look the older alien wore was one Robin hadn't seen before. His eyes looked cold and hard. It sent a slight chill up Robin's spine. But just as quickly, the look was gone and Superman's face broke out in the warm, familiar grin.  
>"Hey boys. How are you doing Conner? I just came to pick up Robin here for a training session. You ready to go?" He turned smoothly to the smaller boy before the clone could respond.<br>"Yeah, let's go!" All thought of Conner and Bruce melted away in the warm glow of Superman's gaze. "Bye Conner!" he waved and dashed out the door, Superman giving Conner a half hearted nod as he followed behind.**


	7. Not Okay

Secretly, Conner was glad to see Robin leave. The Boy Wonder was too smart, and he couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, his team mate would know what happened the night before. Know that Batman hadn't gone out to fight crime last night, but to see him.

He put the cleaning supplies away and went to take a bath, hoping to soak away his worries along with the chemical stink. Baths were something he had grown to enjoy only over time, at first being submerged in the warm water had reminded him too much of Cadmus. But now, sliding into the warm bubbles was a welcome relief from reality.

He set his head on the edge of the tub, content to simply soak and let him mind wander back to last night. Back to the way Batman had touched him.

"Hnng"" His hand trailed under the water as he remembered the feel of him. Batman's hands had been rough and warm, his nails sharp as they scraped over his skin.

"Lean back." Batman's eyes were hard and unreadable, but Conner knew that tone of voice well enough to listen. He layed back on his bed, suddenly hyper aware of how much larger the older man was as he towered over him. He knew he was physically stronger than the human, but at the same time, he had a strong feeling the Batman could out maneuver him without much effort. But, he didn't really want to fight. He wanted more of that touch.

"What are you going to-" His words were cut off by the mouth that crashed into his, his breath caught in his throat. It was...warm. And wet. And he could feel stubble scraping against his skin.

A sudden nip on his lower lip caused him to open his mouth in a quick gasp of something between pain and pleasure. That was the man made his move, his tongue sliding into his mouth, taking charge. Conner nervously tried to move his tongue back, clumsily stroking the inside of the older brunettes mouth. The response seemed to urge Bruce onward and he climbed onto the bed, pinning the young clone down beneath him. Skilled hands wandered over his torso and his fingers dug into Superboy's waist.

Conner was dizzy with excitement, breathlessness and arousal. His head was swimming, and it was hard to keep track of where Bruce's hands were as they darted here and there, touching and teasing. Nothing made sense anymore, it was like his body was detached from his brain. He knew it felt good, but something was wrong. The kissing, the touching. he was certain this was not allowed. Somehow, he was breaking a rule, doing the wrong thing, and in the end everyone would be mad at him. As usual, he would be judged.

Bruce pulled back, frowning slightly, as Conner stopped kissing him back, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey kid," he whispered, leaning in close enough that he could smell the sweet shampoo smell in the boys hair. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, uhm, nothing. I just...Well, is this ok?" Conner propped himself up on his elbows, looking up at the hero on top of him.

Bruce let out a slow breath and pulled back, climbing off the boy and backing away, moving to the door. He shook his head, hard.

"No, no it isn't." He gave the boy one last, long look before exiting the room, pulling the door closed hard behind him.


	8. Aster

The Fortress of Solitude was amazing. It was different from the batcave, bright and spacious. It was similar in a few ways, the halls were filled with strange souvenirs, a common super hero hobby it seemed. Batman collected things to study as evidence, but Superman, it seemed, collected like Wally did, simply adding things to his massive fort in the middle of nowhere. And it was the middle of nowhere, Robin realized. The flight, where he spent the whole time clutching Superman's chest and squinting his eyes against the intense wind, had been short, but they were far far away from the league, form Gotham, from anyone.

Not that Bruce was even likely to notice he was missing. He was as distracted as ever, spending more and more time away from both the manor and the cave, away from Robin. Tim had worn high collars and hoods around the mansion in an attempt to hide the bruises from his brawl with Superman before realizing there was no one around to notice. After that he wore thin tank tops with low necks, enjoying the sight of himself in every reflective surface. The bruises were a deep plum, dark against the pale of his skin, and sore to the touch. Yet he couldn't stop touching them, tracing the shape with his fingers idly at every moment. School work, crime, everything faded from his mind when he pressed down on them and felt the throb.

His hand had crept up to his neck just as Superman reached out to touch the same bruise.

"Guess I went a bit hard on you last time." Superman grinned sheepishly.

"No, no no! I'm fine!" Robin fought back the blush he could feel creeping up on him. "I can take it, really!"

Superman's grin widened, that was exactly what he wanted to hear. "Well in that case, you should be ready for plenty more today."

"Ready when you are Supes!" Robin crouched down slightly, spreading his feet apart and assuming a fighting stance.

In a flash, he was down on the ground. Superman was on top of him. He squeezed his arms in tights and managed to slide under the kryptonian and roll away. This time, when the attack came he was ready. Superman rushed forward, throwing a punch, and Robin managed to roll sideways and sam a kick into his jaw as he passed by and slammed into the floor where he had been only moments before. He then jumped to his feet and pulled out a throwing star, tossing it at the older man's head.

Of course, Superman knocked it aside without a thought and rushed forward again, this time landing a solid blow to the boys chest. Robin fell back, gasping as the wind was knocked out of him. He landed on the floor, hard, and his head smacked against the ground with a loud sound. his ears rang and before he could roll away, he was pinned again.

Superman loomed over him, an arm pressed against his neck, holding him still. "I think you need some more weapons. I don't think you're going to have much luck just brawling with me," he whispered, leaning in close to Robin's ear.

"I noticed when you pinned me again," Robin gasped, fighting to talk with the pressure on his throat. "Not that I mind."

Instantly, he realized his mistake. Superman's playful grin disappeared, and he seemed to draw back a bit, the pressure coming off the boy's neck.

"I'm sorry! I just meant, well I don't know what I meant, it was oxygen deprivation or something! I just meant I was fine! Or more than fine! It's ok, just please don't freak out." He scrambled to sit up as Superman pulled back, his eyes darkening. His ears were full of the sound of his won voice and his own heartbeat, and his face felt hot, he was bright red, he just knew it. Before he could let out another word, he forced himself to just act. Maybe it would be a disaster but maybe not.

Robin reached out and grabbed Superman's cape and pulled himself closer, pushing his lips to the alien's with a sigh.

He was feeling the aster.


End file.
